diff --git a/src/borg/archive.py b/src/borg/archive.py
index cf75053a2..87190a054 100644
--- a/src/borg/archive.py
+++ b/src/borg/archive.py
@@ -331,13 +331,10 @@ Number of files: {0.stats.nfiles}'''.format(
         for item in self.pipeline.unpack_many(self.metadata[b'items'], filter=filter, preload=preload):
             yield item
 
-    def add_item(self, item):
-        if self.show_progress:
+    def add_item(self, item, show_progress=True):
+        if show_progress and self.show_progress:
             self.stats.show_progress(item=item, dt=0.2)
         self.items_buffer.add(item)
-        if self.checkpoint_interval and time.time() - self.last_checkpoint > self.checkpoint_interval:
-            self.write_checkpoint()
-            self.last_checkpoint = time.time()
 
     def write_checkpoint(self):
         self.save(self.checkpoint_name)
@@ -712,6 +709,26 @@ Number of files: {0.stats.nfiles}'''.format(
         self.add_item(item)
         return 's'  # symlink
 
+    def chunk_file(self, item, cache, stats, fd, fh=-1, **chunk_kw):
+        checkpoint_number = 1
+        item.chunks = []
+        for data in backup_io_iter(self.chunker.chunkify(fd, fh)):
+            item.chunks.append(cache.add_chunk(self.key.id_hash(data), Chunk(data, **chunk_kw), stats))
+            if self.show_progress:
+                self.stats.show_progress(item=item, dt=0.2)
+            if self.checkpoint_interval and time.time() - self.last_checkpoint > self.checkpoint_interval:
+                checkpoint_item = Item(internal_dict=item.as_dict())
+                checkpoint_item.path += '.checkpoint_%d' % checkpoint_number
+                checkpoint_item.checkpoint = checkpoint_number
+                checkpoint_number += 1
+                self.add_item(checkpoint_item, show_progress=False)
+                self.write_checkpoint()
+                self.last_checkpoint = time.time()
+                # we have saved the checkpoint file, but we will reference the same
+                # chunks also from the checkpoint or the "real" file we save next
+                for chunk in checkpoint_item.chunks:
+                    cache.chunk_incref(chunk.id, stats)
+
     def process_stdin(self, path, cache):
         uid, gid = 0, 0
         t = int(time.time()) * 1000000000
@@ -723,9 +740,7 @@ Number of files: {0.stats.nfiles}'''.format(
             mtime=t, atime=t, ctime=t,
         )
         fd = sys.stdin.buffer  # binary
-        item.chunks = []
-        for data in backup_io_iter(self.chunker.chunkify(fd)):
-            item.chunks.append(cache.add_chunk(self.key.id_hash(data), Chunk(data), self.stats))
+        self.chunk_file(item, cache, self.stats, fd)
         self.stats.nfiles += 1
         self.add_item(item)
         return 'i'  # stdin
@@ -781,13 +796,7 @@ Number of files: {0.stats.nfiles}'''.format(
             with backup_io():
                 fh = Archive._open_rb(path)
             with os.fdopen(fh, 'rb') as fd:
-                item.chunks = []
-                for data in backup_io_iter(self.chunker.chunkify(fd, fh)):
-                    item.chunks.append(cache.add_chunk(self.key.id_hash(data),
-                                                  Chunk(data, compress=compress),
-                                                  self.stats))
-                    if self.show_progress:
-                        self.stats.show_progress(item=item, dt=0.2)
+                self.chunk_file(item, cache, self.stats, fd, fh, compress=compress)
             if not is_special_file:
                 # we must not memorize special files, because the contents of e.g. a
                 # block or char device will change without its mtime/size/inode changing.
diff --git a/src/borg/constants.py b/src/borg/constants.py
index 31f717f4b..6b5c67c66 100644
--- a/src/borg/constants.py
+++ b/src/borg/constants.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # this set must be kept complete, otherwise the RobustUnpacker might malfunction:
 ITEM_KEYS = frozenset(['path', 'source', 'rdev', 'chunks', 'chunks_healthy', 'hardlink_master',
                        'mode', 'user', 'group', 'uid', 'gid', 'mtime', 'atime', 'ctime',
-                       'xattrs', 'bsdflags', 'acl_nfs4', 'acl_access', 'acl_default', 'acl_extended', ])
+                       'xattrs', 'bsdflags', 'acl_nfs4', 'acl_access', 'acl_default', 'acl_extended',
+                       'checkpoint'])
 
 # this is the set of keys that are always present in items:
 REQUIRED_ITEM_KEYS = frozenset(['path', 'mtime', ])
diff --git a/src/borg/item.py b/src/borg/item.py
index 88b87eb5b..52e724484 100644
--- a/src/borg/item.py
+++ b/src/borg/item.py
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ class Item(PropDict):
     deleted = PropDict._make_property('deleted', bool)
     nlink = PropDict._make_property('nlink', int)
 
+    checkpoint = PropDict._make_property('checkpoint', int)
+
 
 class EncryptedKey(PropDict):
     """